James Haeck @ PAX U 🎉
@jamesjhaeck.bsky.social
ENnie Award-winning game designer. Freelance Writer & Editor for: Wizards of the Coast, Critical Role, Darrington Press, MCDM, Ghostfire Gaming.
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Let's take a look at my latest from Ghostfire Gaming, Grim Hollow: The Valikan Clans! @shawnmerwin.bsky.social led Raider's Guide to Valikan, a setting guide and player options book and I led Saga of the Seasons, a sprawling dark fantasy adventure!
Reposted by James Haeck @ PAX U 🎉
We think of the TTRPG space as a hobby, but it's really a collection of related hobbies.
Some love playing. Others collecting. Others watching. Some prefer theory.
For some it's hating. The number of people whose sole focus is hating on a game or edition they don't play is incredible. Joy vampires
Some love playing. Others collecting. Others watching. Some prefer theory.
For some it's hating. The number of people whose sole focus is hating on a game or edition they don't play is incredible. Joy vampires
November 28, 2025 at 3:47 PM
We think of the TTRPG space as a hobby, but it's really a collection of related hobbies.
Some love playing. Others collecting. Others watching. Some prefer theory.
For some it's hating. The number of people whose sole focus is hating on a game or edition they don't play is incredible. Joy vampires
Some love playing. Others collecting. Others watching. Some prefer theory.
For some it's hating. The number of people whose sole focus is hating on a game or edition they don't play is incredible. Joy vampires
Reposted by James Haeck @ PAX U 🎉
The big box Kickstarter - The overly produced roleplaying game - The New Novelty - The horror - The history - The Glamour
www.failforward.moe/2025/10/the-...
www.failforward.moe/2025/10/the-...
October 13, 2025 at 8:54 PM
The big box Kickstarter - The overly produced roleplaying game - The New Novelty - The horror - The history - The Glamour
www.failforward.moe/2025/10/the-...
www.failforward.moe/2025/10/the-...
Any wordsharps out there know a good, single word to describe a "vault or room for containing many relics, as in a church"?
November 28, 2025 at 6:45 AM
Any wordsharps out there know a good, single word to describe a "vault or room for containing many relics, as in a church"?
Reposted by James Haeck @ PAX U 🎉
not to try to have a nuanced political take on a microblogging website but my issue with "yimby" is that despite agreeing with many tenets i think a myopic focus on housing supply can lead to unprincipled or reactionary positions however if you think yimby is worse than nimby you're dumber than dirt
Making sure developers don’t make a dime is more important than building homes for people
November 26, 2025 at 8:03 AM
not to try to have a nuanced political take on a microblogging website but my issue with "yimby" is that despite agreeing with many tenets i think a myopic focus on housing supply can lead to unprincipled or reactionary positions however if you think yimby is worse than nimby you're dumber than dirt
Reposted by James Haeck @ PAX U 🎉
at a certain point there has to be some recognition that it's probably impossible to actually sanitize the output of the plagiarism regurgitation machine when it takes in literally any input.
of course i think we'll put $50 trillion more dollars in it tomorrow, but hey it's the thought that counts!
of course i think we'll put $50 trillion more dollars in it tomorrow, but hey it's the thought that counts!
Looks like LLMs are *very* vulnerable to attack via poetic allusion: "curated poetic prompts yielded high attack-success rates (ASR), with some providers exceeding 90% ..."
https://arxiv.org/html/2511.15304v1
https://arxiv.org/html/2511.15304v1
November 21, 2025 at 2:49 AM
at a certain point there has to be some recognition that it's probably impossible to actually sanitize the output of the plagiarism regurgitation machine when it takes in literally any input.
of course i think we'll put $50 trillion more dollars in it tomorrow, but hey it's the thought that counts!
of course i think we'll put $50 trillion more dollars in it tomorrow, but hey it's the thought that counts!
Reposted by James Haeck @ PAX U 🎉
Dividing people into ... bigots and non-bigots? 🤷🏻♂️
Exclusive: The U.S. Coast Guard will no longer classify the swastika, nooses and the Confederate flag as hate symbols.
The military service drafted a new policy that classifies them as “potentially divisive.”
The military service drafted a new policy that classifies them as “potentially divisive.”
U.S. Coast Guard will no longer classify swastikas, nooses as hate symbols
The military service, which falls under the Department of Homeland Security, has drafted a new policy that classifies such items “potentially divisive.”
www.washingtonpost.com
November 21, 2025 at 2:09 AM
Dividing people into ... bigots and non-bigots? 🤷🏻♂️
Reposted by James Haeck @ PAX U 🎉
[shit rpg designer voice] yeah so this character option is deliberately worse at everything that you usually do in the game, but gets a HUGE bonus to haggling. The haggling mechanic we dedicate precisely one paragraph to in the rulebook. Most merchants don't haggle btw.
November 19, 2025 at 1:28 PM
[shit rpg designer voice] yeah so this character option is deliberately worse at everything that you usually do in the game, but gets a HUGE bonus to haggling. The haggling mechanic we dedicate precisely one paragraph to in the rulebook. Most merchants don't haggle btw.
Reposted by James Haeck @ PAX U 🎉
Turned 33 yesterday and had a great time celebrating! I understand the ancient laws on this website states I can ask for retweets for my work on this special day? Haha.
Cheers!
Cheers!
November 18, 2025 at 1:08 PM
Turned 33 yesterday and had a great time celebrating! I understand the ancient laws on this website states I can ask for retweets for my work on this special day? Haha.
Cheers!
Cheers!
A titan of games was taken from us today. May she always be known and remembered.
RIP to a games industry pioneer and legend, Rebecca Heineman (@burgerbecky.bsky.social) If your unfamiliar, look her up. Her career is like the story of videogames itself.
November 18, 2025 at 6:18 AM
A titan of games was taken from us today. May she always be known and remembered.
It's always an honor for Titus to illustrate a location I wrote in a D&D adventure =)
Here are some pieces I did for #crookedmoon for @avantris.bsky.social with AD by @suzannehelmigh.bsky.social
These are some of my favourite pieces I did for a client recently
#ttrpg #illustration
These are some of my favourite pieces I did for a client recently
#ttrpg #illustration
November 16, 2025 at 8:35 AM
It's always an honor for Titus to illustrate a location I wrote in a D&D adventure =)
Reposted by James Haeck @ PAX U 🎉
Hello folks. My indie RPG column is expanding. I will now be writing about forthcoming games. First issue this will happen in goes out 26th December. If you have an RPG project coming out, Kickstarter launching, or ending, within a month or so after that date, get in touch.
November 15, 2025 at 1:07 PM
Hello folks. My indie RPG column is expanding. I will now be writing about forthcoming games. First issue this will happen in goes out 26th December. If you have an RPG project coming out, Kickstarter launching, or ending, within a month or so after that date, get in touch.
Reposted by James Haeck @ PAX U 🎉
Reposted by James Haeck @ PAX U 🎉
I love seeing my friends make cool games 🥰
November 13, 2025 at 11:17 PM
I love seeing my friends make cool games 🥰
Reposted by James Haeck @ PAX U 🎉
Reposted by James Haeck @ PAX U 🎉
a couple of months ago i stumbled onto some gorgeous character art and an intensely cool concept for a tarot rpg. asked the creator to meet up with me at gen con so i could play the game and hit it off instantly. and now i'm writing a sicko doomed gothic romance horror fable for the (FUNDED!!) game
November 13, 2025 at 9:05 PM
a couple of months ago i stumbled onto some gorgeous character art and an intensely cool concept for a tarot rpg. asked the creator to meet up with me at gen con so i could play the game and hit it off instantly. and now i'm writing a sicko doomed gothic romance horror fable for the (FUNDED!!) game
Reposted by James Haeck @ PAX U 🎉
These are two reminders to people hiring writers/game devs for ttrpgs:
+ If your freelancer doesn't have a lot of material or guidance from you, you're going to end up unhappy with their work - and that's on you.
+ Expecting full scenario/adventure drafts in less than a month is unrealistic.
+ If your freelancer doesn't have a lot of material or guidance from you, you're going to end up unhappy with their work - and that's on you.
+ Expecting full scenario/adventure drafts in less than a month is unrealistic.
November 13, 2025 at 5:57 PM
These are two reminders to people hiring writers/game devs for ttrpgs:
+ If your freelancer doesn't have a lot of material or guidance from you, you're going to end up unhappy with their work - and that's on you.
+ Expecting full scenario/adventure drafts in less than a month is unrealistic.
+ If your freelancer doesn't have a lot of material or guidance from you, you're going to end up unhappy with their work - and that's on you.
+ Expecting full scenario/adventure drafts in less than a month is unrealistic.
Reposted by James Haeck @ PAX U 🎉
The value of reading history is you know that in 1860 there were abolitionists who were so demoralized that they thought chattel slavery would be permanent. 5 years later those still alive had lived to see its end.
November 12, 2025 at 8:05 PM
The value of reading history is you know that in 1860 there were abolitionists who were so demoralized that they thought chattel slavery would be permanent. 5 years later those still alive had lived to see its end.
Reposted by James Haeck @ PAX U 🎉
let's see those mf masks on at paxu
November 11, 2025 at 6:58 PM
let's see those mf masks on at paxu
Reposted by James Haeck @ PAX U 🎉
YOU MUST check out ChainxLink and the rest of ethan's incredible work.
Exploit tools of tyranny to support your rebellions and invoke ancient rites to escape this megadungeon with your closest rivals!
Chain×Link: A semi-cooperative dungeon-defying RPG
Buy it now!
glyphtide.games/chainxlink/
Chain×Link: A semi-cooperative dungeon-defying RPG
Buy it now!
glyphtide.games/chainxlink/
Chain×Link | Glyphtide Games
A semi-cooperative dungeon-defying roleplaying game
glyphtide.games
November 10, 2025 at 6:22 PM
YOU MUST check out ChainxLink and the rest of ethan's incredible work.
Reposted by James Haeck @ PAX U 🎉
🍂🍂Live a life of cake and teatime by the slow part of the river, where simple plans spiral into delightful chaos. RiverBank RPG is created by Hugo & Nebula Award Winner Kij Johnson and art by Kathleen Jennings. A cozy world is waiting for you! Get it here: bit.ly/497VOZs
November 11, 2025 at 2:14 AM
🍂🍂Live a life of cake and teatime by the slow part of the river, where simple plans spiral into delightful chaos. RiverBank RPG is created by Hugo & Nebula Award Winner Kij Johnson and art by Kathleen Jennings. A cozy world is waiting for you! Get it here: bit.ly/497VOZs
Reposted by James Haeck @ PAX U 🎉
An offering to the lorecast - Sir Frodrick the Knight and his loyal bard John Frogerty
@thebenbyrne.bsky.social @dailydael.bsky.social @jamesjhaeck.bsky.social @shawnmerwin.bsky.social
@thebenbyrne.bsky.social @dailydael.bsky.social @jamesjhaeck.bsky.social @shawnmerwin.bsky.social
November 11, 2025 at 1:35 AM
An offering to the lorecast - Sir Frodrick the Knight and his loyal bard John Frogerty
@thebenbyrne.bsky.social @dailydael.bsky.social @jamesjhaeck.bsky.social @shawnmerwin.bsky.social
@thebenbyrne.bsky.social @dailydael.bsky.social @jamesjhaeck.bsky.social @shawnmerwin.bsky.social
Your favorite RPG freelancers and many indie devs are, in America at last, allowed to have this job because of the ACA. Your games will get worse if it's killed. The brain drain will be immense.
I was freelancing before the ACA. It was harrowing. It’s saved so many lives.
After being laid off I rely solely on ACA marketplace plans to help cover my medications and some of my doctors.
If I can't afford my medication, I will die.
This is not an exaggeration.
If I can't afford my medication, I will die.
This is not an exaggeration.
November 10, 2025 at 10:55 PM
Your favorite RPG freelancers and many indie devs are, in America at last, allowed to have this job because of the ACA. Your games will get worse if it's killed. The brain drain will be immense.
Reposted by James Haeck @ PAX U 🎉
Ambition is on its FINAL THREE DAYS of crowdfunding.
WE'VE REACHED FOR HEAVEN FROM UNDERNEATH
STRIVED FOR WHATS BEYOND IT
and with the last Fable funded, the Shape of Ambition is in focus. LETS SEE HOW FAR WE FLY BEYOND IT.
ttrpg.link/ambition
WE'VE REACHED FOR HEAVEN FROM UNDERNEATH
STRIVED FOR WHATS BEYOND IT
and with the last Fable funded, the Shape of Ambition is in focus. LETS SEE HOW FAR WE FLY BEYOND IT.
ttrpg.link/ambition
November 10, 2025 at 8:33 PM
Ambition is on its FINAL THREE DAYS of crowdfunding.
WE'VE REACHED FOR HEAVEN FROM UNDERNEATH
STRIVED FOR WHATS BEYOND IT
and with the last Fable funded, the Shape of Ambition is in focus. LETS SEE HOW FAR WE FLY BEYOND IT.
ttrpg.link/ambition
WE'VE REACHED FOR HEAVEN FROM UNDERNEATH
STRIVED FOR WHATS BEYOND IT
and with the last Fable funded, the Shape of Ambition is in focus. LETS SEE HOW FAR WE FLY BEYOND IT.
ttrpg.link/ambition
Reposted by James Haeck @ PAX U 🎉
Gotta say, I’m not so confident that you do
November 7, 2025 at 9:44 PM
Gotta say, I’m not so confident that you do